Frisky and Mannish at Udderbelly.

Frisky and Mannish.

Off to the South Bank last night in the eye of a raging storm. We were off to see Frisky and Mannish at Udderbelly. We see a lot of cabaret which makes us a bit jaded and somewhat fussy.  I had heard good things about this pair and enjoyed the show. Frisky is the lady of the duo, curvy,schoomistressy and plummy she has a stonking voice. Her partner, Frisky, is slight, provides musical accompaniment and apt comment. There is no ‘straight’man, the couple are very much performers in tandem. The performance itself is high camp and barbs directed at the world of pop and delivered using the pairs comic timing, Frisky’s voice and some audience participation.

It helps to know your pop music but barbs were well delivered and the victims deserving. I am not a fan of Florence and the Machine and enjoyed the deconstruction of her ouvre immensely. Other highlights included a music hall version of the Pussycat Dolls and a performance encompassing all the ‘ages’ of Madonna. 

I liked the purple cow tent, inside it was an intimate space and all the seating was close to the performers.  Outside there is a mini-pleasure garden with small wooden pagodas, heated seating, a connect four game, table football and a bar. A much nicer place to wait for entry than queuing on the street or being shoehorned into a theatre bar. It was curious watching the performance with such a 'vanilla' crowd but they were really responsive, the suits were not lager louty and some seemed to be repeat viewers of the performers so it was fine.

Frisky and Mannish are on again at Udderbelly on the 7^th June, 

Redlegs has a suggestion for a nice night out on the South Bank, especially sans thunderstorm:

Early dinner at Canteen under the Festival Hall.

Quick wander around the Festival of Britain display in the Festival Hall.

Quick drink in the Udderbelly  Garden.

Performance at Udderbelly.

http://www.underbelly.co.uk/webpages/southbank/

Udderbelly Southbank Festival: fun and frolics under the cow

Once ‘the’ wedding is done with the centre of attention in London this year is definitely going to be on the South Bank. It is the 50^th anniversary of the Festival of Britain. The Vintage at Goodwood people are decamping there at some point and I have no idea what that will be like (so far expensive is the only thing that comes to mind). If however, you are heading in that direction a more guaranteed source of glee and entertainment will also have arrived: The Udderbelly Festival at the Southbank.  If that sounds like a rum name for a festival the venue itself, a large upside-down purple cow tent, may seem even more preposterous but that’s what it is. Personally I like cows and the surreality of the venue is reflected by an impressive range of acts: it appears that the organisers have cherry picked the best available comedy, cabaret and all purpose performing stuff out there.  From the touristic point of view it is also right beside an iconic view, some love/hate architecture and some blooming good pubs.  And you don’t have to camp, or put up with wellied idiots to enjoy this festival. I know a few people who read this blog do so because they are coming to London and this would be a good way to while away an evening here.

Udderbelly Tent.

There is plenty to appeal to the retrocentric, those delightful coves The Fitzrovia Radio Hour are there for example as is the ‘Flanders and Swann: At the drop of a hippopotamus.’ show on June 4th. What is also striking is the breadth of performers and types of show. Howard Marks, Michael Morpurgo, Barry Cryer, Issy Suttie, Richard Herring and Paul Daniels all under the same .. erm.. belly.

Those rum coves the Fitzrovia Radio Hour.

 

Spymonkey, spot the radio controlled pheasant.

 My particular tips would be Spymonkey, I saw this lot perform a few years back in a performance called ‘Cooped’ which was very good. I have never forgotten the radio controlled pheasants that featured in that production, my urge to own a radio controlled pheasant has never abated. Their performance at Udderbelly this time is called ‘Spymonkey’s Love In’.  Anyone who is a fan of clever physical acting and imaginative staging should grab the chance to see them. Frisky and Mannish are also appearing and are a duo whom like Ophelia Bitz or Dusty Limits or the Double RR club are at the vanguard of proper challenging funny if sometimes uncomfortable cabaret. These count as Redleg’s ‘top tips ‘.

Frisky and Mannish.

It seems right for a location that was once famous for bawdy variety and sly comedians should be hosting a good range of off the piste taking the piss comedy.   Events that appear to me to be perfectly in keeping with the bohemian entertaining ‘up-yours’ nature of the Vauxhall , Kennington, Waterloo side of the river include ‘Ida Barr’s Royal Flush Bingo Party’  and the ‘ Alternative Royal Wedding Reception’ may well be the only place (apart from the Palace) to be on the evening of the 29^th April.  Later on in May the 'Time Out Alternative Eurovision Song Contest' is on.

Time Out Alternative Wedding Reception.

Last but not least these performances are very good value costing between £10.00 - £20.00 per pop for a performance in a smallish venue in central London, I doubt you’ll find the same elsewhere of the same quality. I think tickets may sell quite quickly once word gets out so I’d get in there quickly.

Tickets can be booked from here:  http://www.underbelly.co.uk/webpages/southbank/booking.php
Festival Website is here: http://www.underbelly.co.uk/main.php

Udderbelly in Brighton.

If anyone can recommend or has seen any of the line-up please comment so we know what to see!

Pip, pip xxx

C30, C60, C80s! Brilliant Night Out for a good cause. 27th February.-

Eighties is not vintage, anyone who tells you that is after your money. The eighties were fun though and I know what I am talking about having teenaged my way through it. It is probably the last decade to have a distinctive stylistic character which can be applied to fashion, music, architecture and graphic design. As a period it was a real rollercoaster, you can think of Thatcher and yuppies but most of us were poor, unemployed and very pissed off.

On the other hand it was an era when you knew how to have a really good time and to hell with anyone who tried to stop you. Want to waft around Clapham looking like a zombie rag doll, fine.  Feel like dancing to German Industrial music dressed as a 17^th century cardinal? Who was going to stop you.  Also it seems to me to be the last era when people demonstrated against things that didn’t attack their pockets (yes students I am talking about you), like bombs and dismantling entire sections of the economy.  I suspect it might have been one of the last periods that was a really good laugh… even if it was fuelled by gallows humour and very cheap cider.

A very good opportunity to celebrate it, whether you were there or not is presenting itself on the 27^th. The details are below. I can wholeheartedly endorse this event. Not only is it for a very good cause but I know the organisers personally and they put a great deal of thought and effort into everything they do. If helping out the hospice is not enough, the line-up of performers includes the best cabaret around, the venue is atmospheric and has pub prices and there are lots of good prizes.

On the dressing up front there is great fun to be had, your vintage best would be fine, back then the Wag Club was adrift in zoot suits and forties rolls, how about New Romantic excess? Ska boy skin head cool? I seldom need much encouragement to go back to type: Goth. If you weren’t around this may be your chance to see if you would have liked the look and sound of it at least.  Please go. Details below:

Miss Rose Thorne & Beyond The Cabaret

present

for one night only...
...
C30, C60, C80s, GO!

A Charity Night Of 1980's Inspired Burlesque & Cabaret
Hosted by Benjamin Van Louche

Starring many of the UK's top cabaret & burlesque performers!

Sunday 27th February, Bethnal Green Working Men's Club, Pollard Row, E2

Doors 7pm ~ Show 8pm ~ Tickets £10
http://www.wegottickets.com/event/102247


C30, C60, C80s, GO! A pop-a-ramic evening of the best (and worst!) the 1980s had to offer, all squeezed into the skin-tight jeans of a plethora of top-flight and frenetic cabaret & burlesque acts! Think pouting New Romantic chic meets the seething discontent of 3 million unemployed! Think unfeasibly big hair, Rubik's cubes, ZX Spectrums and shoulder pads you could land a plane on!

ALL proceeds from the night are going to The Ayrshire Hospice.

EIGHTIES-TASTIC THROWBACK PERFORMANCES FROM:
Fancy Chance, Mat Fraser, Rod Lightning, Crimson Skye, Kiki Kaboom, Sienna Lately, VJ Spankie, Ginger Blush, Honey Wilde, Kitten von Strumpet, Becky Boobala, Khandie Kisses, Ooh La Lou, Liberty Pink, Tom Baker, Mat Ricardo, Rosy Cheeks,and more!!!


PLUS 80S DISCO TIL LATE, with sounds from the likes of:
Duran Duran, Depeche Mode, Gary Numan, The Associates, The Smiths, Adam & The Ants, Visage, The Human League, Japan, The Teardrop Explodes, The Jam, The Psychedelic Furs, Echo & The Bunnymen, Blondie, Spandau Ballet, Bow Wow Wow, Ultravox, Soft Cell, A Flock Of Seagulls, Tears For Fears, The Cure, Talk Talk, OMD, Yazoo, Fad Gadget, ABC...

If you cannot go perhaps donate some sponduliks, by going here:

http://www.justgiving.com/Elisabeth-Hannah

Minn x

Double R Club.

I am a bit tardy reviewing this as I actually went to it last month! This is undoubtably one of the most entertaining cabaret nights taking place in London at the moment. And I am not only saying this because I really like the organisers (even though I do!). Again something to tempt me away from my native South London and much loved Soho to Bethnal Green Working Men's Club.

The Double R Club is, despite it's moniker, nothing directly to do with the Kray Brothers, although they may have known the area and may have enjoyed the evening. Rather the inspiration is taken from the strange twilight world of David Lynch's film ouvre, although arguably the look is more Blue Velvet than Elephant Man. However one of it's co-founders, the entertaining Rose Thorne has a burlesque act featuring the latter character, in a sense. Moreover some of the acts are dark in a music hall sense rather than in that strange American gothic vein seen in films such as Mulholland Drive.

Your host for the evening: Benjamin Louche.

Your host, and the paraffin glue that holds the night together is host Benjamin Louche, effectively channelling Dean Stockwell via Mark Almond with a nice line in obscenity. He introduces, performs and links the cabaret acts with panache, exhorting the audience to sing 'Lollipop, Lollipop', reading creepy poems and enthusiastically promoting the catchphrase 'so f*****g suave'. He works hard as this evening is particularly good value as the cabaret does not consist of a few girls tassel twirling and one singer but enough performances to fill two halves.

H P Lovebox croons..

I was particularly taken by the evening's crooner, Mr H P Lovebox, joining us from the tentacled slimy deeps to sing amongst other tunes, 'I want to do bad things to you' and 'Dance with me' although I am quite sure the latter deviated in lyrics considerably from the original. Great fun for lovers of the old creepy Misogynist demon fiddler himself. Another unique act involved a birdman lip synching in a curiously engaging way. The only time a cabaret act has resulted in having to fish pine nuts from my..ahem..decolletage. Othe acts included a singer, a couple of burlesque performers and a fire eater.

A birdman warbles....

There are a number of arch cabaret evenings in London at the moment. This one is notable for it's unexpected combination of conviviality and gothicism. Rose wanders around dispensing her (delicious) home made mini-doughnuts, Emerald Fontaine mans a booth dispensing coffee cherry cocktails and glittery biscuits to attendees. During the interval those who found a knitted doughnut (Rose can knit literally anything) under their seat were inveigled into climbing the stage to take part in a doughnut- eating contest. The audience are a mix, some are there as Lynch fans (as decent scores in the Lynchian quiz revealed), some as cabaret fans and others just for the atmosphere. The tables were booked largely by regulars even though this club has only taken place for a few months. The next one is the night after this missive, but they happen monthly. Should a night of dark mayhem, camp giggles and sweet things appeal it is a highly recommended way to spend an evening.

http://www.myspace.com/thedoublerclub